DEWA Launches Third Cycle Of CleanTech Hackathon To Drive Sustainable Innovation And Climate Solutions

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) recently hosted the third CleanTech Hackathon, drawing 193 applications from seven countries. This event is part of DEWA's involvement in 'UAE Innovates 2025'. Participants included companies, innovators, university students, and sustainable innovation experts. The hackathon aimed to find innovative solutions for climate change, water scarcity, and environmental sustainability.

Projects in this cycle focused on desalination, decarbonisation, digitisation, energy efficiency improvements, carbon emission reduction, and integrating digital technology into sustainable systems. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, stated that the Sustainability and Innovation Centre supports efforts to achieve the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050. These strategies aim for 100% clean energy production capacity by 2050.

The centre has become a global hub for innovators, investors, and experts to collaborate on projects promoting clean energy sources and energy efficiency techniques. It aims to reduce carbon footprints and access the latest clean and renewable energy innovations. Waleed bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA, highlighted that winners of the CleanTech Hackathon can connect with local and global investors, researchers, and industry leaders.

The centre also showcases winning projects during its CleanTech Innovators Exhibition and Cleantech Connect programme. The third cycle winners include Hueck Solar Energy from Germany for a new concentrated solar power technology; Econano Water Treatment from UAE for using metal-doped ZnO nanoparticles with solar energy to purify water; Hydrowind Energy from UAE for solutions addressing clean electricity, grid-scale energy storage, and seawater desalination.

Other winners are Ecobeat from UAE for an AI-powered solution designed for water and energy management; DoGood People from Spain for a platform empowering individuals to make sustainability tangible. The first hackathon cycle saw 100 participants from various backgrounds. The second cycle attracted over 160 applications from 25 nationalities across 20 universities worldwide.

This initiative underscores DEWA's commitment to fostering sustainable innovation through collaboration among diverse participants. By bringing together creative minds globally, DEWA aims to drive progress in clean technology solutions that address pressing environmental challenges.

With inputs from WAM